A Review of Crystal Oscillators Imperfection: Linking Frequency Deviations to Carrier Frequency Offset and Phase Noise

Xin Liu

¹School of Computer Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710071, China

*Corresponding author

This paper systematically investigates imperfections of crystal oscillators imperfection, which demonstrates frequency deviations and their relationship and impact on physical layer authentication. By analyzing the fundamental properties of the crystal oscillator, frequency deviations can be divided into frequency inaccuracy, which represents systematic offsets from the nominal frequency, and frequency instability, which denotes time-dependent fluctuations. We separately analyze both internal and external factors influencing these deviations and highlight their dual impact on oscillator performance and radio frequency fingerprinting (RFF) features, including carrier frequency offset (CFO) and phase noise (PHN). By analyzing internal factors such as material quality and crystal aging, we provide a new perspective that explores the relationship between CFO and PHN and oscillator deviations, providing new insights into their origination and potential for secure communication. By analyzing external influences like temperature and power supply noise, challenges in leveraging CFO and PHN for authentication under varying environmental conditions are discussed, along with future research directions aimed at enhancing robustness and reliability.

Crystal Oscillator, Frequency Deviations, Carrier Frequency Offset (CFO), Phase Noise, Radio Frequency Fingerprinting (RFF)

Jianing Wang, Xin Liu (2024). A Review of Crystal Oscillators Imperfection: Linking Frequency Deviations to Carrier Frequency Offset and Phase Noise. Journal of Networking and Network Applications, Volume 4, Issue 4, pp. 165–171. https://doi.org/10.33969/J-NaNA.2024.040403.

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